News

Lidl to remove 9p plastic bags from stores in Wales to reduce plastic waste

Published

6 years ago

March 7, 2019

LIDL has today (Mar 7) announced plans to remove 9p plastic bags from all its stores in Wales by 1st May, after seeing that its 9p reusable bags were increasingly being used as single-use. Through the trial, the supermarket will evaluate the customer response to the move and its environmental impact.

The discounter, which removed all 5p plastic bags from sale in 2018, is now taking further action to help cut down on plastic waste, by removing its next tier, 9p reusable bags, from its 54 Welsh stores. The move, which is thought to be the first of its kind by a supermarket in the UK, is expected to prevent the sale of over 5 million bags and to save over 150 tonnes of plastic waste each year in Wales, increasing to over 80 million bags and approximately 2,500 tonnes of plastic waste if extended across Great Britain.

This announcement builds on Lidl GB’s strong track record on plastic reduction, to which the discounter has long been committed. Since opening the first store in Great Britain, Lidl has charged for plastic carrier bags, and took the additional step to remove all single-use carrier bags from sale in 2017, followed by all 5p reusable bags in 2018. This resulted in 26 million fewer plastic bags being sold annually. This forms part of Lidl’s overall commitment to reducing plastic packaging by 20% by 2022, and to making sure 100% of its own-brand packaging is widely recyclable, reusable, refillable or renewable by 2025.

Christian Härtnagel, CEO of Lidl GB said: “We’re proud of our work at Lidl to reduce plastic across our stores, and particularly the steps we have taken over the years to reduce sales of plastic carrier bags. After seeing that our 9p reusable bag was increasingly being used as a single use option, we wanted to look at how we could mitigate this pattern. Through this trial, we will be able to fully assess the impact that removing our 9p plastic bags has in helping customers shift to a fully reusable option.”

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “Wales was the first nation in the UK to bring in a charge on single use carrier bags and we are pleased that Lidl has chosen Wales as the location for an initiative which will help inform understanding of consumer behaviour and bag use. We will watch with close interest the effect of Lidl’s innovation and how this will encourage reuse.”

The supermarket will introduce new cotton and jute alternative bags into its range this summer and will still offer customers in Wales its 38p heavy duty bag and 65p freezer bag.

Community

Festive celebrations at St Davids Cathedral this weekend

Published

36 mins ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

ST DAVIDS Cathedral is set to host two special events on Sunday (Dec 22), offering a blend of joyful participation and traditional carol singing to mark the Christmas season.

In the morning, families are invited to the Scratch Nativity at 11:00am. Attendees are encouraged to come dressed as wise men, angels, sheep, or shepherds and take part in an unrehearsed retelling of the Christmas story. Canon Leigh described the event as: “Complete, wonderful chaos for an hour… but with some poignant, thought-provoking moments to centre ourselves on the real meaning of Christmas.”

Later in the evening, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols by Candlelight will take place at 7:00pm, featuring the Cathedral Choir. The event, steeped in tradition, will see the cathedral bathed in candlelight as carols and scripture readings fill the historic space.

Doors will open at 5:45pm for those seeking unreserved seating, and a large turnout is expected for this beloved Christmas celebration.

Crime

Three men from London admit their guilt over illegal cannabis farm

Published

1 hour ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THREE men admit their guilt after police discover over 700 cannabis plants during a raid on a former school building in Llandysul.

Officers from Dyfed-Powys Police executed a warrant at the former Ysgol Gynradd Llandysul on Heol Llyn Y Fran on November 15. Inside, they found 737 cannabis plants spread across multiple rooms.

Armeld Troksi, 29, and Njazi Gjana, 27, both from Empire Avenue in Edmonton, London, along with Ervin Gjana, 24, from Durham Avenue in Romford, were arrested at the scene and later charged with producing cannabis.

The three men appeared before Swansea Crown Court, where they admitted their involvement in the illegal operation. Defence solicitor Joshua Scouller requested a pre-sentence report for Ervin Gjana, which was granted by Judge Geraint Walters.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 20.

A Dyfed-Powys Police spokesperson said: “Following a warrant executed at the former school on Heol Llyn Y Fran, officers discovered a significant cannabis grow containing 737 plants.

“We are grateful to the local community for their continued support and cooperation. Officers will remain in the area while the site is secured.

“Our commitment remains firm in disrupting drug production and supply networks across our force area.

“We encourage residents to report any suspicious activity, no matter how small it may seem. Every piece of information can make a difference, and reports can easily be submitted through our website.”

News

Protest in Lampeter to save Wales’ oldest university

Published

1 hour ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

CAMPAIGNERS fighting to save Wales’ oldest university staged a march and demonstration last Friday (Dec 20) in a bid to highlight the plight of the Lampeter campus.

The protest, organised by the Lampeter Society, brought together former and current students, along with local residents, to oppose plans by the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) to relocate humanities courses to Carmarthen next September.

The rally began at Lampeter Rugby Club at 10:30am, with demonstrators marching to the university campus. Despite the timing—on a weekday and so close to Christmas—organisers reported a strong turnout.

Ieuan Davies, one of the organisers and a Lampeter alumnus from the 1980s, said: “We wanted to show support for the students whose education is being directly affected by these plans, and to remind decision-makers of the devastating impact this will have on the local economy and culture.”

Established in 1822, Lampeter is Wales’ oldest higher education institution. In 2009, it merged with Trinity College Carmarthen and later joined with Swansea Metropolitan University to form UWTSD.

The proposed relocation of the humanities faculty has sparked concerns about the long-term sustainability of higher education in Lampeter. Campaigners argue that losing the faculty would mark the end of over 200 years of academic heritage in the town.

The Lampeter Society has also launched a petition calling on the university and the Welsh Government to create a ‘viable, sustainable plan’ for the campus’s future. The petition requires 10,000 signatures to trigger a debate in the Senedd and can be accessed at https://petitions.senedd.wales/petitions/246410.